


Journey

by mymastermine (littlelapin)



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: Other, giftfic 4 muh DIE, repost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2019-10-04 12:06:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17304302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelapin/pseuds/mymastermine





	Journey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [http://dieabolic-esper.tumblr.com/](/gifts?recipient=http%3A%2F%2Fdieabolic-esper.tumblr.com%2F).



Mastermind was at it again.

Esper knew this routine all too well now. An experiment gone horribly wrong outside of Mastermind’s expected results. That lead to Mastermind locking himself up in his lab, which then resulted in Psyker taking to practically worrying himself to death. It seemed exceptionally bad this time because the researcher needed just one final part that would help complete his calculations.

But, as it was, the scientist was only human and his calculations went to waste when his testing completely destroyed the crucial part to his experiments. Mastermind flew into a fit of rage, locking himself in his lab, insisting he could still do it, even though he knew he couldn’t possibly do so now.

Not without that part.

–

Esper slowly walked through the halls, his lips pursed tight, a thoughtful hand to his chin as his thoughts consumed him. Normally, he sat on the sidelines, wary but wanting and slow to intervene. Usually, the brawler could maintain some form of control on the situation after sometime but  … Murmured voices drew him out of his quiet thinking. He looked up, realizing his little walk had put him near Mastermind’s lab somehow. He trudged forward a few steps more, but halted when he saw a body leaned against the sealed door. Silently, he maneuvered out of sight and pressed his body against the corner he had just rounded, peering from around it. Upon closer observation, the time traveler then realized it was Psyker with his back to the door, face tilted up.

“Ya know, today,” His voice trembled here. He paused to recollect himself, to try again, “Esper and I—we wanted to go out somewhere with you today … and well,” The brawler’s mouth was agape, as if he were going to say more. However, nothing more came. He leaned his head back against the door more, his eyes screwing shut. Gradually, his mouth closed, forming a thin line on his face, as if he had lost the words and will to continue his sentence. He fell silent.

A shaky sigh escaped his lips as Esper moved to rest against the wall too, his head slightly hanging in thought. What had just happened was out of the norm. He felt himself bring a hand up to clench at his hair. And to be honest, it scared him.

Normally, Psyker would talk to Mastermind through his sealed door, about anything and everything, animatedly, and persistently. But what Esper had just witnessed seemed the opposite. It was as if the brawler had lost that fighting spirit of his. Like he was struggling to hold himself together.

Like he had just given up.

After some time, he mustered up the courage to peer around the corner.

Psyker was gone.

–

Esper was leaning, back against a wall in the kitchen, his legs slightly crossed. He gripped one arm as he stared dully out the window. Meanwhile, he nursed a glass in the other hand. Absentmindedly sipping on the drink every now and then. Huh. And he stopped to look at the glass blankly, eyes narrowing on the contents as he tried to focus. What was he even drinking?

“Hey, you.”

Esper’s line of sight switched to meet the owner of the voice—Psyker. He searched the other’s face, staring into his eyes, and then reading his body language and boy, did the brawler look as pathetic as he felt. “Good evening, Psyker.” He replied, the chirp in his voice sounded awfully hallow even to his own ears. For a good measure, he threw in a smile, “How are you?”

Psyker sighed heavily, pulling up a chair, “Could be better.” He mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

Esper simply took a sip of his drink, waiting. This, too, was routine. Late night exchanges over a shared worry regarding Mastermind. But Esper always waited for Psyker to open first. Or Psyker spilling everything. Either way, that was just always as it had been. Esper took another drink and this time, he decided to fully face Psyker to give him his attention. Except, when he did it was Psyker that was fully and attentively facing him.

It unnerved Esper. Silently, he stared Psyker down, even questioning him with his eyes. When that produced no results, Esper quickly made sure his smile was switched on, before warily asking, “What is it?”

“How’re ya holdin up?”

The smile immediately melted away. He felt his grip around his glass tighten then loosen because how was he to respond to that? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. It’s not that he was surprised Psyker asked. And it’s not that Psyker never asked. It was just … not how things naturally occurred. Today seemed to be a day of breaking routines. Even as he thought about it now, his frown remained.

“What’s with that look? Was just wondering how you were doing.” Esper had opened his mouth to respond but Psyker pushed on, “I mean, you’re not the only one around here who can read people.” His voice was softer this time, “You keep to yourself most of the times, but it’s easy to see you care so much too.”

Esper sat his glass down, uncrossing his legs as moved to stand before Psyker. But once he got there, he wasn’t quite sure what to do.

Psyker just beamed at the time traveler, well, as much as he could with how tired and ragged he looked anyway. “Nailed it?” He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

A sigh passed from his previously tight lips as Esper slightly tilted his head, watching Psyker. Esper found that he didn’t like being so plainly read like that. Had he really been so transparent that even Psyker felt the need to call him on it? A wry chuckle escaped his lips as he wondered if that’s how the brawler felt when Esper put him out on display countless times so easily. “Be that as it may, you don’t seem to be doing too well yourself.”

Psyker sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Man, back to me huh?” He propped his hands behind his head, shrugging. “Still, it was pretty devastating. I mean, he had been just talking to me a day before and suddenly he just ups and stops?” His voice quivered a bit, and he glanced away.

Calculating eyes watched the brawler silently.

This could not go on.

–

Over the course of the next few following nights, Esper and Psyker would meet, talk and plot about how to help the researcher. Some nights, their talks would move from the kitchen to the living room, where they ended up on the couch, and the other in one of the chairs, falling asleep with one another.

One night, Esper had fallen asleep on the couch and woke up to Psyker on the couch with him, cuddling him to his chest. It left him feeling warm, safe, and happy. Esper was guilty of laying there, just to enjoy the company of the other. Psyker would wake up later and mumble out an excuse about how the time traveler had looked lonely and cold and that he had fallen asleep with no blanket. Overall, it was … a nice feeling.

But Esper knew better. He knew that it was in Psyker’s nature to do this type of thing for either of them. But that should have been reserved for Mastermind. Mastermind needed this the most.

That’s why Esper knew it had to be him.

–

Esper decided to follow through with one of their plans that they had talked over one night. It was simple really, and they weren’t sure why they hadn’t thought of it before. Just get a new part. But it wasn’t all that simple, because there lies the issue of who was to go. And neither wanted to leave Mastermind, nor the other to shoulder the burden alone.

But as much as it pained him, Esper knew he had to do this.

Because for once, he wanted to do this. He didn’t want to sit by the sidelines, popping through portals to ensure Mastermind was okay or watch as Psyker tried to console the other when he needed consoling himself.

He wanted to do this  _for_  Mastermind.

He wanted to do this  _for_  Psyker.

Esper planned to slip out while Psyker was sleeping. That way there could be no debate, and the brawler wouldn’t be able to stop him.

“‘Going out for a little while, huh?’”

Or so he thought.

Esper steeled his nerves, flipping around to meet Psyker with another pseudo smile. This smile, too, faded when he was met with an unreadable expression on the brawler’s face. And Esper didn’t like it at all. If anything, he could always read Psyker and to not be able to now proved to be slightly unsettling. Without knowing what else to do, he simply stood there, waiting for Psyker to continue.

“You’re not just going away for a bit for fun or whatever bullshit excuse.”

“S-someone has to go!” Esper stuttered, and he never stuttered. What manner of witchcraft was this?

“You don’t hafta go!”

“But someone has to be here to take care of Mastermind,  _you_  have to be here to take care of Mastermind and I—”

Psyker raised an eyebrow at Esper’s abrupt halt and sudden crestfallen face. He glanced over his shoulder, following Esper’s line of sight and jolted back when he saw Mastermind standing not too far from them. “You’re out of your lab again.”

“Well,” Mastermind brought a hand to run through his hair, scowling to himself. “My … calculations are getting me nowhere. And there was a lot of racket and yelling that even I couldn’t ignore. Also, coffee’s nice.” He held his mug up for them to see and then took a quick sip before continuing, “Now, just what is going on?”

Silence.

Mastermind looked between the two, but Psyker was pointedly staring at Esper and Esper was frantically looking between the two. He grumbled to himself, sighing. His eyes landed on Esper this time, and Mastermind tilted his head slightly with curiosity. The researcher approached the time traveler and then stopped before him, nodding his head at him, “Going somewhere?” He motioned to his change of clothes and the fact that his Dynamo were accompanying him.

Esper tried to keep a straight face while throwing over Mastermind’s shoulder a glare with his eyes at Psyker.

Psyker waved his hands silently while shaking his head, as if to say  _I didn’t say anything! Don’t look at me like that!_

Mastermind tilted his head again, confusion apparent.

“Just for a little while,” Esper heard himself murmur.

“Especially since you’re bringing your Dynamo with you. Where, or why?”

Esper felt himself clamp up again.

“Well, if you insist then,” And Mastermind slipped off his jacket, watching as Esper’s face shifted into confusion. Once the jacket was fully off, he threw it around Esper’s shoulders, adjusting the hood. “There.” Mastermind stood back some to get a better look at him. It drooped slightly around Esper’s especially thin frame. Mastermind had to chuckle at that, “Well, it’s a bit big on you. But it’ll do, no?”

“B-but, your jacket?” Esper couldn’t understand, he looked to Psyker again who feigned like he wasn’t even paying attention. He’d get the brawler for this.

“Yes, I’m aware it’s my jacket. But I’m giving it to you, so go wherever you’re going and come back with it.” Mastermind reached for the hood, and pulled it over Esper’s head. Mastermind leaned down slightly to place a kiss on the hood and stepped back with a warm smile. “Safe journey.” 


End file.
